AmCham to donate recycled computers to Taiwan NGOs

TAIPEI -- The American Chamber of Commerce (AmCham) in Taipei announced Monday that it will donate more than 100 recycled computers to nonprofit organizations in Taiwan as part of its corporate social responsibility.

The donations are retired computers from four AmCham members — Ford Lio Ho Motor Co., Hawley and Hazel Chemical Co., the HAVI Group and PepsiCo Foods Taiwan Co.

These companies were the first to pledge the offer after AmCham began promoting the project in early March.

As a partner in the project, Microsoft Corp. has donated software licenses for Windows and Office to help students at Chung Yuan Christian University install the software and restore the used computers, while the Frontier Foundation will select non-profit organizations officially registered in Taiwan as recipients.

“We are hoping to build a long-term platform rather than making a one-off donation,” AmCham Chairman Thomas Fann told a media briefing.

To achieve that goal, the project will need a more reliable supply of good-condition retired computers, so AmCham will invite more of its member companies to take part, Fann said.

AmCham made its donations by partnering with the “TechSoup Global” international network, which aims to help non-profit organizations in more than 89 countries access the technology resources and knowledge they need to operate at their full potential.

Tsai Shu-fang, CEO of Frontier Foundation, the Taiwanese affiliate of TechSoup Global, said the foundation has donated computers worth over NT$340 million (US$11.25 million) to more than 1,000 public welfare groups in Taiwan since 2008.

But there are still more than 200 local non-profit organizations waiting for donations of a further 900 computers, she said, urging more companies and volunteer students to support the initiative.